Adventures in New Guinea eBook

In the afternoon we held service in the main street.
The singing attracted a very large and noisy crowd
but when our old friend began to pray it was as if
a bomb-shell had exploded, men, women, and children
running as for dear life to their homes. Another
hymn brought them back, armed and unarmed. We
had a long talk on peace, and they wished I would
go with them to Moveave, and make peace. One
division of these villages they have simply wiped
out. I asked them to leave Moveave alone, and
when a fit season comes I will ascend the river with
them, and make peace.

I have visited the party who last week killed several
of the Moveavans, and they promised not to attack
them again. The Kaback jewellery is about in
abundance.

Semese spoke nearly all the night through, exhorting
all to peace, and that now we had visited them they
ought no more to go about exalting themselves, fighting
with their neighbours, and speaking evil of their
friends, the Motuans. Rahe has brought his son,
whom he has named Tamate. I have no doubt he
will be an expensive honour.

We went up the William River to-day. At mouth,
on the west side, are two islands, viz., Iriho
and Biaveveka. Between the latter and the mainland
is an entrance into Alice Meade Harbour. The
river is broad and deep. Both banks are lined
with sago palms.

When a young man marries a young woman, the custom
here is to pay nothing for her; but for a widow something
very great. The people live chiefly on sago.
Sago is cooked with shell-fish, boiled with bananas,
roasted on stones, baked in the ashes, tied up in
leaves, and many other ways. We have received
large presents of sago, both boats bearing as much
as is safe to carry. We leave in the morning.
At present a man is going through the streets in
great wrath, having been to his plantation and missed
a bunch of bananas. As he moves along he shouts
out his loss, and challenges the thief.

We had a gathering of old men until late into the
night, and they closed with a wail, chanted, with
drums keeping time. Hours before daylight Semese
was up, waiting for me to turn out.

We had a fine run back to Yule, where, at sunset,
we were met by a terrific gale of wind and a thunderstorm.
We had to put in close to the land, and for four
hours sit it out in a deluge of rain. It was
soon inky dark, the lightning very vivid, and the
thunder deafening. Piri’s boat anchored
close alongside. On the weather clearing up a
little, we crossed Hall Sound to Delena, where we
were soon met by natives carrying torches, and were
led to their houses. A change of clothing, and
we were all as comfortable as possible.

We spent the hour of midnight with Kone and Levas,
chiefs of Delena, telling them of our visit to the
west, and its success in establishing peace.
They were greatly delighted, and will do me the honour
of visiting me at Port Moresby, that is, will relieve
me of some tomahawks. With a light wind and a
smooth sea, we had a pleasant run to Boera, where
we arrived at sunset. There was great joy in
the village at our arrival.